Shenandoah University News

The Shenandoah Conservatory Jazz Ensemble performs “Bebop, Big Bands and the Golden Age of Jazz,” under the direction of Craig Fraedrich, on Friday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. in Armstrong Concert Hall on Shenandoah University’s main campus.

Return to the Golden Age of Jazz when the complex melodies and irregular phrases of bebop emerged from the popular dance style of big band. Featuring beloved works by jazz giants and band standards like “Stompin’ at the Savoy” and “In a Mellow Tone,” the concert will also include jaw-dropping trombone solos by faculty member Matt Niess.

“This concert will showcase music written for the big band that typifies the transition of the genre from dance music to concert music,” notes director Craig Fraedrich. “Composers such as Bill Holman, Oliver Nelson and Thad Jones changed what had been considered the role of big bands expanding its style of virtuosity and improvisational prowess to concert halls while maintaining the elements of rhythm and swing that made the music popular in the first place.”

The Shenandoah Conservatory Jazz Ensemble performs “Bebop, Big Bands and the Golden Age of Jazz” on Friday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $5 for students and active military. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Shenandoah University Box Office at (540) 665-4569 or visit www.ConservatoryPerforms.org. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.

Media Information

High-resolution photography, including artist headshots and a selection of production images, are available upon request. Full artist biographies are also available upon request.

For additional background information and interview requests, members of the media may contact Emily Burner, (540) 545-7334 or eburner@su.edu.

Shenandoah University is the private, nationally recognized applied liberal arts institution, located in Winchester, Va., with an enrollment of more than 4,000 students. Shenandoah’s close-knit community is rich in creative energy and intellectual challenge. Shenandoah empowers its students to help the human condition and to be principled professionals and leaders wherever they go.